15 January - sunday lunch in the sun

Having failed in my shopping yesterday that included butter for toast, it was muesli for breakfast - not my favourite - so I felt justified in going out for a proper Sunday lunch. After a fantastically hot, sunny morning sitting on the roof terrace wishing I'd brought shorts, by the time I wandered down to the waterfront for lunch, it was clouding over. Undeterred, I opted for the terrace of Don Berto - apparently a popular spot for family Sunday lunches.

I started off with some garlic bread to compensate for the lack of toast for breakfast. Then for my main, I had the most fabulous, falling-off-the-bone lamb shanks, slow-cooked in a rich sauce with carrots, peppers, courgette and aubergine, topped with vegetable crisps and with a whole roast garlic on the side - the discretely snapped picture really doesn't do it justice!

Certainly solved the problem of having nothing much in for supper - it was more than enough to keep me going!

14 January - a veggie lunch and crap pasta

Staying around Vittoriosa today, I went out for lunch, this time choosing easy over adventurous - an outside table at Tate, a vegetarian cafe on the waterfront. A good spot for people-watching and a table in the sun, but an initially uninspiring menu. Feeling like I hadn't had much veg over the past couple of days, I ordered a falafel salad. It turned out to be a good choice - freshly cooked falafels with a yoghurt dip, warm pitta and humus and a huge pile of salad - mainly lettuce but with enough bits of carrot, tomato and cucumber plus a herby dressing to make it interesting. I'd had pudding in mind when I sat down, but after munching my way through all those falafels, I was distinctly stuffed.

I'd bought some pasta and a tin of tomatoes yesterday and I'd intended to get some olive oil, onions and garlic to cook up a simple pasta sauce this evening. Unfortunately, although the blurb at the apartment said that local shops were open morning and early evening Mon to Sat, when I went out at 6, everything was distinctly closed! I did try just pasta and some heated tomatoes, but it was so watery and tasteless, I didn't even bother finishing it. Now I'm curled up under a blanket (the apartment's unheated and really chilly of an evening) watching old Doctor Who reruns on BBC entertainment, with a glass of wine and a box of After Eights ... not exactly a healthy supper, but I don't feel too bad after my super-healthy lunch!

12 January - going solo in malta

It's years since I travelled alone and I'd forgotten just how daunting it can be to go out for dinner on your own in a strange place. I arrived in Malta at lunchtime for a week's winter sun and had a bit of a wander around Vittoriosa - one of the "three cities" that ring the harbour opposite Valletta, the capital. Later, back at my funky little rented apartment, I realised I hadn't eaten anything since a mid-morning prawn sandwich and although I've got a little kitchen, I hadn't had the chance to get any food in. I'd spotted a row of promising resturants on the waterfront, so I headed there. The most interesting-looking was intimidatingly empty at quarter to eight, so I carried on until I came across Sottovento; a bistro with more of a cafe atmosphere - wooden tables with several groups of women clearly out for an early supper and a natter.

Having committed and sat down at a table in the corner, the menu revealed a rather unexciting choice of pizza and pasta. The huge plate of tortellini in creamy sauce with mushroom and bacon that arrived was unadventurous, but tasty and filling and went down well with an equally large glass of local white wine! Determined to try something more local tomorrow ...